Grey Lines of Combat
by Voiceindadark
Summary: AU, Itachi x Sakura. In the midst of war, who is the enemy, and who is on your side? Who will be the one to betray you?
1. Chapter 1

Grey Lines of Combat

Red, It was the color of war. You could see it in the setting sun, ornate streaks of orangey pink fading into the purples and blues of a starless night. The warriors' faces were colored red, bodies hot, as adrenaline from the rush of combat flooded through their veins. The ground was the darkest red, a burgundy crimson, drying to a flaky brown. Blood soaked the once grassy plain, dying it with the colors of war. Bodies of the fallen littered the field. A build up of several days; the stench was unbearable...but who had time to collect the dead when they could be killing more? More of the enemy, more of the evil ones. But who was really in the wrong?

The ninja struggling to defend their borders as they sent farmers to the outskirts, due to the skirmishes, running to the cities for protection as they fight off the invaders? Or the foreign ninja, needing more land for their ever growing population, needing the food that such land would yield.

Who was more deserving?

All of this passed through a young kunoichi's mind as she kneeled in the shadow of a knoll created by a blast of energy earlier. Her hands were deep in the chest of a comrade using chakra to carefully pluck shrapnel from exploded senbon needles out of his organs. It was her third major operation of the day and it was barely noon.

She needed a break. The smog of dust, kicked up from so many jutsu and the running and falling bodies, created a good cover for her, but as soon as the man could move again, which would be around 7 minutes and 46 seconds if her calculations were correct, they needed to get out of there.

He would need time to rest and get someone to fully heal the extensive blast marks. She needed a soldier pill, and a power nap before she could safely operate again. Her Shishou always stressed the importance of being as rested as possible before healing anyone. Tsunade was the greatest medic that her country had ever seen, and Sakura felt honored to train under her. She had prepared her for the battles that her country was facing as well as possible. That didn't meant that the horror of war didn't shock Sakura.

In war, there were no room for mistakes. There weren't enough ninjas to take the place of those who had fallen. Each life was precious but so was the cause. Too much had been lost for either side to give up now. It would all have been for nothing.

At least, that's what the leaders said. Sakura didn't need to think about such things here. She healed, did her job, and kept people alive. There wasn't time for much else, so she tried not to worry about the killing. She didn't hurt anyone that she didn't have too. Hell, she would have healed their "enemies" too, if such a thing wouldn't have gotten her killed. Her team would have been pissed if she betrayed them like that. Naruto was kind, a blonde ramen-y mess of a boy, but he knew the line between enemy and comrade. Kakashi, silver haired pervert, had seen too many battles. He had too many scars to change his way of thinking now, which was to follow orders. Sakura never spoke of differences between them, but she often felt that the world was made of many more hues of grey than just black and white.

The man underneath her spluttered as the ground trembled, sending waves of unease through her. She needed to hurry. Quickly withdrawing her blood soaked hands, Sakura stitched the man up with chakra enhanced thread. He was gasping for breath, having just now woken up from the trance she had placed him in to safely operate.

"Wh-where?" His eyes were wide and glassy, rolling around everywhere, attempting vainly to make sense of the chaos around them.

"Back at base camp," her voice was stern but low and calming. She knew the man probably wasn't asking about their destination, but usually they freaked out if she said that they were in the middle of a battlefield. She hauled the man up to his feet easily, and swung his arm over her shoulder. Bracing herself, Sakura started to walk into the wall of smoke and dust, her senses searching for the concentration of their forces. They hospital tents were there. So was safety.

Just as she decided on a good path, the smog was blown aside by a particularly strong Fuuiton.

"Shit." She cursed lightly, crouching lower on the ground, the man groaning as he went with her. She lifted a hand, glowing with green chakra, to his side. Healing his internal wounds would help them, even if it was only marginally.

Her eyes widened as a man dropped down from the sky, landing right in front of them. He had long blond hair, drawn up in a pigtail, but a thick chunk hung over one eye. The other shockingly blue orb was fixed on her triumphantly, or, more specifically, on her hand that was glowing with healing chakra. His clothes were smeared with blood, but she could easily see the black coat that hung off of his form, red clouds littering the fabric.

Sakura's face paled as all of the blood drained out of it. The enemy country, they weren't organized into squads like her side was. They had battalions and each was led by a fearsome ninja clothed in a black coat with red clouds. Those warriors were markers of death and destruction. They killed and they relished in the thrill of battle. A trail of bodies littered the ground they walked upon, and most everyone was told to flee on sight. Her green eyes flickered around widely, vainly searching for an escape path.

"Don't even think about running, yeah. You won't get far in this mess. Unless you want to become one of my art projects, yeah." His voice was surprisingly feminine though the words had a dark, serious edge to them. This man was used to being obeyed.

But Sakura was not weak. She looked him straight in the eye, concealing her fear as the man next to her trembled.

"What do you want with me?" The blonde man face split into a grin, his blue eye alight with manic humor.

"You think you're tough, yeah? Think I'll answer to you, yeah? Think again, kunoichi." Sakura growled low in her throat, anger at his words, but before she could fire back a retort, he sprang forward, knocking her out with a speed she had thought unknown to man.

Her last thoughts were ones of panic before the darkness slipped over her eyes.

~GLOC~

Itachi was tired.

He was sick of this war, of the feeble ninja that he had to kill everyday, and sick of the blood staining his hands that he could still see, no matter how many times he washed them.

But it didn't matter.

He would never stop fighting, not as long as he had a family to protect. He was the leader of an entire battalion, and that give him certain privileges. Safety for his brother and parents were guaranteed, for one.

Sighing, Itachi ripped his kunai out of a man's chest. Flicking the blood away, he turned back towards base camp. The ninja around him were terrified and opened up a path for him.

Picking his way through the corpses, he returned quickly. The leader of their faction, Pein-sama, nodded to him in greeting, "Itachi."

"Leader-sama." The red haired man fixed him with a even look before sighing.

"We made good ground today, but it's not enough. They have a healer, or a team of doctors, and for every two we take out, they put one back on the field. It needs to be taken care of."

Itachi's eyes narrowed slightly. He too had noticed that a lot of the enemy nin came back from near death conditions. He thought that it provided a bit of interest to this tiring war, but if it was becoming an issue...

"Would you like Akatsuki to apprehend any medic-nin we come across?" The leaders of the 7 battalions were referred to as Akatsuki, being composed of the top nin from their home country. Pein was apart of the team, but he was the leader of the military. They all deferred to his orders.

"Yes. Bring them back alive." With a curt nod, Pein directed his attention to the scout next to him, telling the man to deliver the news to the other nin.

Itachi walked back to his quarters, a large red pavilion with crows, and his family crest emblazoned on it. Pulling back the heavy flap of material, he slipped inside. The furnishings were sparse, but he didn't need much. A black futon with perfectly made up black and red covers, an ebony desk, a few piles of papers and spare weapons neatly lying on top, and, centered with a hole in the top of the tent for smoke, was a fire pit, provisions and a barrel of water beside it.

He dropped his bloody cloak on the desk, not caring about the slight mess it made. Rubbing his temples, Itachi slumped into his chair.

There was another reason that they needed the medic on their side. The Uchiha Heir's powers were centered in his eyes but they were suffering. His sight was growing dimmer each day, and his country needed his ocular powers to win this war.

Well, they might be able to win without him, but it would cost them dearly. Unfortunately, none of their medics had been deemed proficient enough for him to let them examine his eyes. Hopefully Hi no Kuni really did have someone exceptional on the front lines.

Shaking his head to clear away his dark thoughts, Itachi's eyes flicked to the stack of papers on his desk. On top was his newest letter for him. His lips twitched up into a smile as the ravenette carefully opened up the scroll, reading its contents eagerly.

'Dearest Itachi, I hope that the battles haven't been too hard on you. I know that your fighting skills are second to none, with the exception of Pein-sama of course, but even you need your sleep. Be careful to eat well. Your brother is getting so big! He's 11 now and almost ready to graduate from the academy. His training is going well, but he asks about you constantly. Do your best to keep safe, my son.

Love, Mikoto.

Itachi smiled fondly at the words from his mother. Ever the overprotective hen, he could almost feel her gentleness. Well, a layer of soft that lay atop hard steel. She was not the matriarch of his clan for nothing, and had been a powerful kunoichi in her day. She was only exempt from fighting to raise Sasuke, his Otouto. His eyes skipped over to the next letter included, after carefully setting Mikoto's aside.

'Dear Nii-San, I miss you a lot! I bet that the front lines are really fun to be on though, with so much fighting! No one can beat you though, you're too good for that. I'll be at your level one day. I've learned three new shuriken techniques since you left, and hopefully I'll learn more once I leave the academy. Say, Nii-San, I really hope that you can make it back for my graduation. It's in six months, but if you're busy fighting, that comes first. Just like Otou-San says, honor and duty come before all.

Good luck fighting, Sasuke.'

Itachi's soft smile slid off of his lips. His brother was young and moldable, and his father had taken notice. Eyes narrowing, he sighed. His father's influence would have to be monitored, to ensure that the boy got the future he deserved, and wasn't pressured into a blood filled life. His eyes dropped down to the final letter within the small pack of scrolls.

'Itachi, I have heard many good things from your commanders. They say you are a storm in battle and very efficient. Keep it up. You must uphold the family name in this war and crush the opposition.

Regards, Fugaku Uchiha.

Itachi scowled as he tossed the letter onto his desk. His father was much too concerned with battle and their family reputation. He didn't share the same ideals as the rest of the family.

Itachi did not revel in battle like his clansmen, but he was the protégé and heir to the clan. As such, there were certain expectations of his prowess. Expectations that he went above and beyond.

Sighing, he was about to recline back in his desk chair, when light footsteps approached his tent. Eyes narrowing as he felt the familiar chakra signature of the bomb lover, he stood up to greet the blonde man.

"Deidara," he said warningly, as the tent flap was pulled aside.

"Uchiha. I've brought your medic, yeah," the grinning man dropped a petite pink haired woman onto the ground. Unconscious, she was covered in a fine layer of grime and blood. He observed her with a calculating eye.

"You are sure? She is rather...small." The blonde man just kept grinning as he turned to walk away.

"She was stitching up an open chest, using only chakra. You have fun with her, yeah." The black material swung for a moment in the breeze as he left, leaving the sleeping pinkette in the watchful eyes of Itachi Uchiha.

/ hey everyone! This is just a little plot bunny that wouldn't leave me alone, haha. My new side project! Updates might not be regular, but they will happen!

If anyone is a fan of Sess x Kag, from Inuyasha, I encourage you to check out my story, What Lies in the Shadows, which you can find on my profile.

Thank you for reading, and please review!


	2. Chapter 2

Urgh.

Sakura wasn't the most eloquent of woman, but she usually had more to say than just a groan of pain. However, complaints were the only things on her mind at the moment.

Her head ached, a deep seated migraine. That was weird. She wasnt dehydrated, or injured, as a simple run through with her chakra checked everything. She hadn't sustained any trauma to lead to a migraine, but...

Her memory slammed into her with the force of a train. She gasped, flashes of a blonde man before her closed eyes. He had knocked her out. How rude...and terrifying. Sakura was in enemy territory, with no one around her to help. She had full control of her chakra, which was good. Foolish of her captors though, to leave her unbound and in control of her abilities. She wasn't just a medic. A smile tugged at the corners of her pink lips. She decided that assessing the situation was the best route to take, before forming an escape plan. If all failed, she had a cyanide pill tucked into her bra and could easily take it before any information was taken from her.

Sea green eyes slowly opened, looking up at a large cloud of black fabric. It took a moment for her disorientated and pained brisk to comprehend her surrounding. She was laying on her back, atop a firm but still comfortable surface. Warm too. She had to be in a tent, as the swathes of fabric didn't make any sense elsewhere, and they formed a roughly square ceiling. Sitting up slowly, she sent out trickles of chakra, her senses open to dangers.

The large tent, or pavilion rather, was nicely furnished. She was seated on a black couch, a few pillows around her, and one under her head. There was a black bed, low to the ground in a traditional style. A large ebony desk sat in the center of the space, with a few neat stacks of papers upon it. Sakura felt the blood drain from her face as her eyes looked upon the desk.

She understood now, why her hands weren't bound, why she was left without chakra suppressors. There was an innocuous looking man seated behind the desk, leaning back with a pair of slender hands twined together resting upon his chest. Long ink black hair was pulled into a low pony tail, a few stands escaping to frame a pair of midnight eyes. They were empty of emotion, except for a barely perceptible curiosity. What terrified her about the man was his coat. Black, and spotted with red clouds.

Of course she was unbound. Who would run from the most famed hunter of all?

Itachi sighed. The petite woman was taking a long time to wake up. Perhaps he should inform Deidara that prisoners did not need to be comatose upon capture. Leaning back in his comfy chair, he observed her carefully.

Pink hair. That was certainly her most striking quality, the short cotton candy locks laying carelessly across her face. Straight, even features, and full pink lips. She wasn't pale, but not tan either. Red shirt, white shorts, and worn leather gloves. Her clothing was simple enough, seemingly made with the idea of mobility and comfort over style.

Well, that at least showed that she had a brain. The one exception were her healed sandals. Probably needed the extra inches, as she didn't look like a tall woman. Her hip pouch was sitting on his desk, and he had rifled through its contents already. Various herbs and healing scrolls were within, and a couple of weapons, along with a seal, which seemed to hold more shurikan and kunai.

He thought it odd that she had so little medical supplies. All of the field medics he knew of were required to carry bandages, needles and sutures. Disinfectant was also a common item. Yet she had none of them. There was one woman who he knew healed with large amounts of chakra, instead of natural remedies.

Tsunade, the Slug-hime. She was a famed member of the country he was fighting now, known just as well for her battle skills as for her healing. He had heard that she'd taken an apprentice, but this woman did not seem the fight the role. Both women were supposedly super humanly strong, with enormous tempers. This petite pink fluff of a gift could not be her.

Itachi sighed. There went his hope of having found a competent medic. He really would need to punish Deidara for wasting his time. He would wait until she awoke, as there was always a chance that he was wrong, but he highly doubted it in this scenario.

His eye flicked up to the woman as she gasped, hands clenching lightly. It seemed that she had woken. He sat up the slightest bit straighter, watching as she slowly sat up, eyes flicking around her surroundings.

He had been wrong when he said that the pink hair was her most striking characteristic. Her eyes were a unique, bluish green, the color of warm sea foam. He pushed away such thoughts as her eyes Locked with his, her face blanching quickly as she saw him. Ah, he was used to that response. Not that it ever gave him any joy. He raised an eyebrow as she closed her eyes briefly, only to open them with force. She seemed to have gathered her wits, and shot her words at him. Despite its hardness, her voice wasn't awful. A bit dry from lack of water, but a smooth undercurrent that spoke of years that didn't show up on her face.

"Who are you, and what do you want?"

Itachi huffed slightly, amused with her pluckiness. "Why don't you start with telling me your name, kunoichi-San?"

Sakura bit her lip unconsciously, her eyes examining the man. He didn't look like he was armed, but that didn't mean much. Those who wore the cloaks of Akatsuki did not require weapons to kill. Her eyes flicked over his desk, spotting her hip pouch. Well, that was annoying, to be without the majority of her weapons.

"I don't think you need to know that," She said snarkily.

His eyes narrowed briefly, something gleaming in their dark depths. His hands disentangled themselves, one starting to drum on top of the deal lightly. Long fingers, she noticed, with black painted nails. "Complying with my wishes is a much smarter path to take."

She stiffened, the threat was clear in his actions. She sat up a bit straighter, attempting to appear tall and strong. "Sakura."

He smiled inwardly as her name was fitting, but he let no emotion show upon his face. "How competent of a medic are you?"

She pressed her lips together firmly, hands clenching tightly. She wondered briefly how he even knew she was one, until she remembered. The blonde that had captured her would have been able to provide the information that she was a medic, as did her hip pouch.

"I will not heal any of you." Personal ethics aside, she would never betray her country or her friends. She would rather die before she contributed to her comrades death.

His eyes narrowed, as he sat up the tiniest bit straighter. "You do not have a choice. I require a medic. I will ask one last time, Sakura-San. How proficient are you?"

She shivered slightly under his hard gaze, but kept her chin up. "I won't help you."

He sat back in his chair, inwardly amused by her actions. They were meaningless, but he admired her strength, especially after he noticed her recognition of his status in Akatsuki. Nevertheless, he would have to get serious now, and he did not particularly like that. It was necessary though. Keeping his voice calm, collected, he looked into her hard seafoam eyes.

"Very well. If I have nothing better to do, I must return to battle. Let us hope your comrades can bear my anger as easily as you have, kunoichi-San." She paled again, eyes lowering in distress and shame as he threatened her allies. Her voice was lower this time, her confidence checked.

"I was trained by Tsunade-sama." His eyes widened imperceptibly in shock. This tiny girl was the famed woman's apprentice? She had a reputation of her own already. He almost smile at that. Deidara had done well, to find the perfect medic. He would not have been able to subdue the great Slug-Hime, but this was already working well.

"Have you completed your training?"

She huffed, annoyance flashing in her eyes. "For medics, your training is never complete. There are always new injuries, new diseases to fight. But I am no longer receiving lessons from Tsunade-sama."

He nodded slowly, leaning back in his desk. "You will heal my eyes."

Her lips thinned as she pressed them together. Sakura's first instinct was to fight, to object. However, he had already shone that he had no issues with threatening her loved ones. Sighing is reluctance, she unclenched her hands.

"What is your name then, Akatsuki-San?"

"Itachi Uchiha." She smiled humorlessly. Oh, of all the luck. Of course she was in the presence of the ninja, the man who had never been defeated. Rumors of his battle prowess had spread far and wide, along with rumors of how merciless he was. Out of all the victims she'd healed, but one had survived the wounds from Itachi. Many were found without visible injuries, except for a suicidal blow. His talent was driving his enemies insane, so that they begged to be killed. Fire was another specialty of his, men charred to unrecognizable corpses.

Sighing, she stood up and began to walk towards him. In an instant, he was looming before her, expression guarded as one hand lay against her throat. Not clenched, thankfully, but expressing just enough pressure to warn her. No sudden movement. Which was a bit dumb, with her digging style there were no sneak attacks. She preferred to plow right through her enemies, but that was impossible in this case.

"I need to examine your eyes, Uchiha." His hand dropped from around her neck, leaving a cold ring. Expression relaxing, he looked down into her sea foam eyes, standing a bit too close for Sakura's comfort. "Please close them for me."

He complied, lowering long, midnight colored lashes. She was about to lift her hands, but felt it was probably safer to tell him everything that she did. She didn't particularly want to be strangled, anyways. Taking a breath, she slipped into her doctor persona, impersonal, and business like.

"I'm going to place my hands on your temples, Uchiha. You're going to feel my chakra enter your system. Do not fight it, even though the sensation can be a bit tingly at first. I must examine your facilities, before I am able to heal you." She raised her hands, and was about to place them on him when he spoke.

"Please go slowly, Sakura-San. And remember that any attempts to harm my person would be futile." She scoffed lightly at his arrogance, but quelled the thoughts of murdering him with her chakra. Gently, she set her hands upon his temples, feeling his silky hair slide against her fingertips. His skin was cool to the touch, and softer than she had imagined.

"I'm going to use my chakra now. Don't fight it." Her hands glowed briefly with a green glow, before it seems to skin into his skin. Following his pathways, she let the energy slowly move though his eyes.

Itachi was trying very hard not to laugh. He's expected some discomfort, pain even as she explained the process. However, her chakra was warm, and soothing. Too soothing, in fact, as it was the slightest bit ticklish. He kept his impassive expression firmly in place, waiting for the tickling sensation to go away as the minutes passed.

After about half an hour, Sakura finally let her chakra seep back into her hands, and slowly removed them from his temples. She took a step back from the taller man, exhaling slowly. His onyx eyes opened slowly, looking at her expectantly. She was slightly flushed, and had a worried gleam to her green eyes.

"What did you find, Sakura-San?"

She swallowed lightly, looking him in the eye before answering. "Your ocular powers require a large Amount of chakra to be summoned to your eyes, correct? When you use that chakra, and subsequent ninjutsu, some of it is released as backlash and attacks your own cells, burning them. The damage isn't extreme at the moment, but your vision would soon start to suffer. I wouldn't be surprised if you experience head aches, or soreness in the area after battle."

He nodded briefly, thinking over her words. He did get headaches after long battles, and the soreness in his eyes was what prompted him to ask Pein-sama to search for a healer. It was good that one had been found quickly, the idea of losing his sight did not appeal to him.

"And what do you propose to do about this?"

She didn't look away from him, but he got that sense that she was thinking heavily, from the distance in her eyes. "I will need to map out exactly how I will heal the damage, and prevent it from occurring again. I'll need scrolls, pens, and some time. Your medical history, too."

Itachi nodded, already prepared for such an answer. Many medics had attempted to treat this issue in his family, with none succeeding. Granted, his countries medical facilities were not as advanced as Hi no Kuni's, but he would have been suspicious if she didn't need time to compose a plan.

"You'll find such supplies, and a list of my history on top of my desk. You may conduct your work there, but do not attempt to unseal any of the drawers." She nodded, eyebrows drawn together. He continued, reaching into his coat and withdrawing a slim bracelet. "I shall be leaving for a few hours, unless you require anything else of me?" Sakura shook her head, her eyes on the object in his hands. "Very well. Hold out your hand."

She looked up at him suspiciously, both hands held up to her chest protectively. Tentatively, she held one slim arm out to him, palm up.

Itachi carefully clasped a white leather bracelet upon her. It was thin, with seals carved into the surface. They had been dyed red, and didn't look menacing.

"What is this?" She asked him slowly, turning her wrist to examine each side.

"A tracking bracelet. Don't think of leaving while I'm gone." He raised his own hand, showing a matching wristband in black leather, a similar seals engraved upon it in red. "I'll be alerted, should you move from this area." Her shoulders slumped, as the feeling of imprisonment shrouded her darkly. Without another word, Itachi smoothly walked out of the pavilion. The black fabric swished lightly behind him, but to Sakura it held all the finality of a cell door.

She exhaled in a rush, slowly walking over to his desk. She eyed the ebony wood, not particularly wanting to sit down. There wasn't any special reason, but starting to work would mean that she'd give in. She'd be doing exactly what he wanted, and with barely a fight. She'd considered taking her cyanide pill, but since she'd already told him what the problem was, what would stop him from finding another medic?

Why was she even here though? Surely the Uchiha's country had their own medical system, and plenty of medics. Why was she captured? He didn't even know how proficient she was, there wasn't a special reason for taking her.

Shaking her head, Sakura sat down in the large chair, resting on the very edge of it uncomfortably. Looking around the desk, she picked up a sheet of paper. It was a list, in a neat, beautiful handwriting. The letters were elegantly formed, little decorative curls added discreetly. She blushed, thinking of her own messy scrawl. The list was a medical history, with different operations written down, next to an age. Eyes quickly taking in the information, she gasped lightly. There was the usual set of yearly exams, with eye exams at the same time. She noticed that in depth physicals started at age seven, with injuries becoming sever at age nine. Broken ribs, ruptured spleen, punctured lungs...the marks of battle. She'd seen worse in ninja, but these occurred at such a young age, all between the ages of seven and thirteen. Surprisingly, there were no more operation done after that. The yearly exams continued until age 19, which seemed be to Uchiha's current age. She exhaled, a long, drawn out sigh. Sakura knew that the man was a prodigy, but to have that hard of a childhood must have been hell. Why did the injuries stop though, she wondered? Shaking her head, Sakura filed away the questions for later. She snagged an unrolled, blank scroll, and started to write down her observations, losing herself in the familiar mechanics.

Jiraiya let out a long sigh, leaving back in his chair. This war was taking all of him to fight. All of his men too, he remarked with a grim smile. If it wasn't for the proficiency of their medics, his country would be losing big time. As it was, they were barely holding off Kuro no Kuni's larger forces. He personally thought that the reasons behind the war were stupid.

Kuro needed more land. Their population was growing rapidly, and needed the star farmland. Hi no Kuni had a good chunk of land, a thickly forested area that no one inhabited. Why couldn't they trade it for goods or money?

But the political leaders felt that such benevolence went hand in hand with weakness, and refused to make any sort of deal. So they'd called him up, the General of the military, and told him to prepare for war.

That had been a few months ago, and everyone was growing tired of the combat. He feared that without the prowess of Tsunade, their countries top medic and her apprentice, Sakura Haruno, they would have lost long ago. Luckily the two women had saved many of the injured nin, and healed them as fast as possible.

At the moment, they had a tactical advantage, with their home base located within the protected, familiar forest. Kuro's forces were situated in the edges of the trees, which provided a weak cover. However, their home base was well protected, no matter the location.

The Akatsuki were an issue. Not much was known about the men's abilities, except that they were top notch, and deadly. They were composed of eight men, one being the leader of the army. At all times, three of the soldiers and their corresponding battalions resided in the camp. Attacking them would else their own base unprotected. Sighed, Jiraiya dropped his head into his hands, needing a cup of sake. He was about to call for his cute little assistant when the door flaps to his command tent burst open.

"Jiraiya!" A busty blonde stood panting before him, her expression pained and angry. He raised an eyebrow at her, sitting up a bit straighter and and trying to look innocent.

"Ne, Tsunade, what brings you here? I've only been to the woman's bath once this week..." He muttered under his breath.

She slammed her hands down against his desk, making little cracks appear in the wood. There was a hysterical, painful edge in her eyes that he had seen very few times before.

"Sakura is gone."


	3. Chapter 3

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed as he looked at the female before him. Tsunade's ample chest was heaving, her honey eyes narrowed in pain, anger, and a little bit of hysteria. He sighed lightly, and stood up, grabbing a chair and pulling it up behind her. Tsunade sank into it, needing the support.

"How do you know that Sakura gone? Isn't she with the field medics?" Tsunade's eyes darkened, and her hand clenched into fists, long nails digging into her pale skin.

"I was at the temp base when a man was brought in. He wasn't in the worse shape, I could tell that Sakura had worked on him, somewhat. I asked him why she'd stopped halfway through, and he said... He said that they were returning to base camp when one of the Akatsuki members kidnapped her." The woman's voice was heavy with rage, trying vainly to conceal the hurt and panic beneath it.

Jiraiya's eyes widened in shock, and he laid a hand over Tsunade's, squeezing gently. Her fingers twined in his greedily, squeezing back harshly as she attempted to keep her emotions in check.

"This is serious. Sakura plays a major role in the medical teams...When was she taken?"

Tsunade's eyes narrowed, and she nervously pushed back a strand of blond hair that had fallen into her eyes. "Judging from when I saw the man...early this morning, so about ten hours ago." Jiraiya nodded, his eyes dark as he ran through the case. Steeling his nerves, he looked up into his best friends eyes, hating himself for what he must say.

"Tsunade...we can't get her back. Akatsuki cannot be taken by one man alone, and storming their base? Out of the question." She sucked in a breath of harsh air, ripping her hand from his.

"This isn't just some random nin, Jiraiya, this is Sakura! She's the backbone of the medic forces, she's important!" The words that were unspoken hung heavily between them. Tsunade loved Sakura like a daughter, and to have her ripped away in the midst of war...he could imagine the pain that the woman was feeling, and it was bad. Still, he could not risk his best men for one nin.

"Tsunade, calm down. You know that I'm right. We can't afford to sacrifice the amount of power it would take to infiltrate their headquarters, not for one Kunoichi! Come to your senses." His voice had softened, seeing the rage fall away from her honey orbs.

"I know how hard this is for you. But trust in Sakura. She's a smart girl, and you will see her again."

Tsunade laughed bitterly, turning away from him as she gripped a necklace that hung to her chest, a little crystal between two spheres, hanging from a long silvery chain. Her eyes were glazed over as she stared at the wall. She couldn't even remember the last words she had said to the young woman that was akin to a daughter. She hadn't taken the dangerousness of this war seriously. She'd thought there were no more precious people she was in danger of losing.

"You know as well as I do how Akatsuki operate. They'll use her and toss her aside. If I see her again, it will be as I open up her coffin."

Tsunade been wrong. There were always more people to lose.

Sakura was panicking. Not screaming and crying, but she was pretty damn close. Squeezing her eyes shut, she let her head fall into her hands, elbows resting upon the ebony desk.

She'd been working for a few hours, drawing diagrams and making plans on how to heal Uchiha-san's eyes. The burns happened to be on a cellular level, such minor little wounds, but in great quantities.

It would take her weeks to heal him.

Mostly because she had to work on so many different types of cells, she'd need breaks in between. Work this detailed required her full strength. Of course, she'd thought about 'accidentally' blinding him, but she didn't doubt that the moment her chakra turned hostile he'd be out of her reach, and probably decapitate her. Or burn her to ashes, that seemed to be his thing.

She hadn't expected to be skipping home in a few days, but she'd thought that perhaps a week or two at most would be all it took to finish. She chuckled lightly, raising her head out of her hands. Months. She could do this. She'd survived worse, under Tsunade's training. That had hell in the beginning, to strain her body to its limits, and then push for more. This wouldn't be as bad at all. He hadn't even yelled at her, yet, that is.

Taking a deep breath to help clear her mind Sakura got back to work, attempting to keep her emotions under strict control.

Itachi sighed, running a hand through his Raven locks, which were unbound for once. He was tired. This war was draining, and it didn't help that he needed to be a villain to some poor girl. Well, woman, with that amount of fire in her eyes. Oddly sea green eyes that he could not seem to forget about...Anyways, threatening a woman into doing his bidding, and betraying her country, was not his idea of a good day. It was in fact a very bad day, but wasn't that what war was about anyways? Sacrifices.

Itachi laughed humorlessly, eyes closing briefly as he tilted his face towards the sky. Sacrifices. Who was really making the sacrifices here? The families at home, pining away for loved ones never to return? The soldiers, who bury their emotions and decency, becoming a tool for bloodshed?

Even though he was the perfect weapon, Itachi hated war. Perhaps it was because he had been breed to take lives, to create pain and suffering, that he hated it so deeply.

He straightened his tired features into an imperceptible mask before stepping into the Akatsuki command tent. There was a long, black table that ran down the center of the space, high backed chairs lining the glossy sides. There were chests of weapons, and spare cloaks along the sides of the red cloth walls. Pein was seated at the end of the long table, various papers and maps scattered about him. Konan was in the chair to his right, her hands on one of the maps as she spoke quietly. The woman was always at Peins side, and Itachi suspected their relationship went much deeper than friendship, but he had never felt the need to ask. Kisame was seated near them, his blue hair standing out against the red of the tent.

The shark like man raised a hand in greeting, flashing a razor sharp grin at Itachi. The ravenette sat gracefully into the chair opposite him, right next to Konan. Pein looked up and nodded to him, while Konan smiled lightly.

"So, Uchiha, what brings you here?" Kisame asked, his chin held in his hand lopsidedly.

Itachi folded his hands neatly on the table, long fingers laced together.

"I have come to tell Pein-sama I will not be available to fight tomorrow."

The leaders orange head lifted away from the many envoys and maps before him, grey eyes looking into Itachi's curiously, waiting for an explanation.

"The medic that Deidara brought is of sufficient skill, and shall begin healing me. I will require time to be used to my improved vision before battle again." Pein nodded, his eyes slipping away from Itachi and back to the papers before him.

"That is reasonable. I would like you to have her make a plan of how long this will take, and make sure you are battle ready each week. That medic must understand that we cannot keep you from the front lines for more than a few days." Itachi nodded, his coal eyes drifting away from his leader. Kisame was frowning at him, chin no longer held in his hand.

"Uchiha, this better not take long. I'll have to find a new partner if you're gonna be missing the fun times," he threatened darkly. All Akatsuki members worked in pairs, in case of Injury and to make commanding the battalions a bit easier. Itachi cast him a haughty look, but there was glimmer of amusement deep in his eyes.

"You'll have to attempt to keep up with me, Kisame, when my eyes are healed." His voice held a quite challenge in it, rousing a grin from the blue skinned man. His teeth were bared in a grimace like smirk.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, brat. I've got years of bloodshed on you." Kisame was leaning forward in his seat, enjoying the rivalry they eagerly fostered. Itachi leaned back in his seat, looking relaxed, but a grin was toying around the corners of his lips.

"I suppose we shall have to wait and see..."

Kisame huffed, tossing his head back arrogantly. "Of course."

Itachi smiled darkly, his eyes closing briefly before he got up. He didn't wish to leave the pinkette for two long, and it had are already been a few hours. He had taken the time after he left her to train, working through his negative emotions with physical challenges. Civilize the mind, but make savage the body. His personal philosophy. Sighing, he stood up and pushed his chair in, not missing the eye roll that Kisame tossed his way. Konan smiled at him, but remained wrapped up in her discussion with Pein over supply trains. He nodded politely to her, and stepped out of the command tent, his shoulders tensing as he walked into the soft twilight.

Men were milling about. The red tent was placed in the rear center of a rather large clearing, with various other pavilions sprung up around it. There were the cook tents, weaponry, and supplies for scouting squads. The medical tents weren't too far either. It was always rather full of people, rushing around carousing, and deliver boys clutching various sealed papers ran back and forth.

Many of the people's eyes wandered over to the solemn Uchiha as he walked across the field. His black pavilion was closer to the trees, away from the me lee of central command. Itachi didn't mind the attention, but he did not particularly like it either. The whispers were what bothered him, and they would undeniably accompany the looks. The rumors of his cruelty in battle, of the trail of screaming men that he left in his wake...Those bothered him. He did not like to be reminded of the cost of protecting his family.

Itachi sighed as his familiar black tent came into view. The outside looked normal enough, it was tall, square and obsidian black. The Uchiha crest was emblazoned on the front, his heritage proudly displayed for all to see. His countenance softened for the briefest moment, eyes regarding the symbol warmly.

The man sighed as he held open the material, striding inside. Sakura was seated at his desk, blinking as the orange rays of sunset flooded her eyes for a moment. She was perched on the edge of the wooden chair, her back tensed, but he could see the tell tale signs of wariness in her. The slight sagging in her posture, her barely lidded eyes all gave away how hard she had been working. His organized, clean desk was now covered in papers and half rolled scrolls. He noticed that many were filled with neat, flowing handwriting, but just as many also contained several crossed out paragraphs. There were diagrams, models of the eye and what looked to him like the brain drawn as well. They were all done meticulously, and looked vey accurate.

Sakura crossed her arms as she saw him, tourmaline eyes narrowing. His face was impassive as he walked over to her, eyes roaming over all of the work she had done in the few hours since he left. After a few moments, his obsidian eyes came up to look at her.

"Have you composed a plan of action yet, Kunoichi?" She bristled slightly when he didn't use her name, but answered him in clipped tones.

"Obviously. I would prefer to begin tonight, so that I can set time parameters on how long this should take." He nodded to her, his eyes closing in preparation. The tenseness in his body told her that Itachi was by no means relaxed, however. She raised her hands, her palms clasping the sides of his face as her small fingers gently cupped his eyes.

"This time, my chakra may feel hot, and more invading as I will be doing more than merely exploring. Do not fight it, or this will take even longer to accomplish." He huffed lightly, his breath warmth against her face, close as she was to him.

Sakura closed her own eyes, summoning up her family healing chakra, and allowing the green glow to seep into Itachi's skin. The energy slowly moved throughout his eyes, slipping along the fibers until she got to his optical nerve. The damage was most extensive here, with many of the cells suffering chakra burns. Just as she'd guessed, each individual would need to be healed on its own, as the degree of the burns varied widely.

"Damn." She swore under her breath, minuscule amounts of chakra beginning to restore the cell membrane and organelles.

"What is the issue, Kunoichi?" His deep voice shocked her, it was low and closer to her ear then she had expected.

Sighing, she shook her head. "It's going to take me longer than I thought, as I can only heal one cell at a time...but this reminds me, Uchiha, why don't you have a medic from your own country heal you?" Her last words were practically dripping with acid, her carefully cultivated Doctor persona slipping.

He almost smirked at her, glad to have annoyed the woman. He wouldn't admit it, but her curiosity and easily aroused emotions did amuse him.

"That is my business, Kunoichi, and shall be revealed to you only if I see fit." She bristled, and he could feel the minuscule change in pressure as her hands tensed upon his face, however the feeling of her chakra did not change. It was not the same ticklish feeling as before, it was more soothing, leaving behind tissue that was whole and healed.

"I do have a name, you know, Uchiha." His constant referring to her as 'Kunoichi' was rude, and a bit annoying. She may be a captive, but that didn't make her any less of a human.

"As do I...Haruno." He said with a light exhale. As his breath misted across her face, she couldn't help but notice that it smelled...not sweet, but certainty not horrible. Well, for an enemy nin, at least.

"Yes, well, those who abduct others do not deserve to be called by their names," She spoke harshly, her tone tense and angry. He could feel her grip stiffen even more against his temples. Surprisingly though, the feel of her chakra did not change. He would expect it to become hostile, tainted by her emotions, perhaps begin to do harm. However, she continued to heal him at the same steady pace, the same relief spreading through him. He was rather amazed at her control, generally one could not separate their emotions from their work this completely, she was truly a high caliber medic.

"If you recall correctly, I was not the one to capture you." He spoke evenly, all respect gained from her skill hidden under his smooth tone.

"You're splitting hairs," she said darkly. "Technicalities that are invalid do not hold up well in a debate, Uchiha." He huffed lightly, her words still spurring an undercurrent of amusement in him.

"I was not aware this was a debate, Haruno. But if you would like to be technical, then you would do well to remember that Hi No Kuni regularly take prisoners from the battle fields for interrogation." She huffed, her fingers shifting slightly over his eyes in anger.

"That is different. Your country should have their own medics who would jump at the chance have this much experience with a blood line limit such as yours. Every solider knows the possibility of being taken prisoner, but no one expects to be abducted and used." Her voice was quieter than before, but no less acidic. He imagined that if their eyes were open, hers would have been dripping with venom. If looks could kill, they said...

"You should have known." His voice was unremorseful, devoid of any emotion except for a light reprimand. She would have called it gentle, if he wasn't the enemy. "The moment you became Tsunade's apprentice, the moment you began to train under her, you became someone of note. Important to her, and skilled. You should have expected to be targeted in this war, like all people of note. Do not cry of unfairness when you knew what was at stake from your first step onto the battlefield."

Sakura was silent for a long moment, digesting his words and quietly healing his eyes. He was right. Of course she had been prepared for the possibility of capture, but she had always imagined it would be for interrogation purposes. As a medic, there were several jutsu she could execute to kill herself, thus avoiding the chance of anything she said being used against her comrades. Betrayal, even forced, was not something she tolerated. She was aware that any escape would be futile, what with the tracking bracelet that sat innocuously against her wrist. It wasn't even snug, deceptively free fitting. She almost snorted at that. There was one more way that she could 'escape'.

She still had a small cyanide pill tucked into her flak jacket, easy to reach, easy to hide in a hand clenched with emotion. She wouldn't even feel her passing, supposedly it would be just like sleep, like passing out suddenly. The only question she had left to ask: was it worth it? Did she really need to die?

As soon as she asked the question, a thousand faces passed behind her shut eyelids, accompanied by a thousand memories. Naruto, accompanied by a familiar bowl of ramen. Treating her first patient under Tsunade. Kakashi arriving late to their graduation as Genin. Her parents, smiling as she told them her plans to become a medic. Her mother smiling through the pain when her father passed. A million other people, her grocer, the children that played in the park by her tiny apartment. A million people who would be hurt, who could be killed viciously by the man before her. The deaths would be her fault too, if she continued to put power right into Uchiha Itachi's hands.

Of course her death was worth it. What was the pain of life lost, compared to the thousands she could save of the man before her staid injured, and kept growing weaker. She could do this. She could give up her life to save others, it had never really been a question, her country mattered too much.

After an hour had passed, her chakra gently receded, leaving Itachi's nerves healed and burn free. He was still damaged, but it was start. Her hands slowly dropped to her sides, balling into fists. Seafoam eyes looked into Itachi's empty obsidian orbs. Her could see her eyes burning with emotion, a fire of rage and righteousness that would not be quelled. Her chest was close to heaving as she breathed heavily, nostrils flared out. Slowly, her hands rose, crossing over her chest. Her voice came slowly, and it contained all of the anger and bitterness he could see in her eyes.

"Of course I was prepared. Every Shinobi is trained for the worst, our lives are constant crisis. But no one should have to expect to betray their country." With a speed he didn't know she possessed, her hand moved to her mouth, fingers clenched around something small and blue.

Itachi's eyes widened, his lips parting as he saw the tiny pill contained within her small hand. His own limbs shot out, desperate to stop the woman from killing herself.

/hey guys! Haha sorry a cliffy! Next time I think some more backstory would be good, considering This is an AU, so some things have changed.

Thank you for reading, and please review!


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you for all of the reviews! They really inspire me to keep writing! IMPORTANT AN -please remember that this is an AU so the characters pasts HAVE changed!

To the guest review, who said that they found a computer just to review my story, thank you so much! That made my day :)

Thank you for reading Grey Lines of Combat, and please enjoy!~~~

~~GLOC~~

So close.

She was so close to freedom. All she had to do was swallow one tiny pill, and everything would be okay. The blue capsule was clutched between her fingers as she ripped her hand up towards her face. She almost smiled in exhilaration as she saw that damn Uchiha's eyes widen, panic entering those emotionless depths. She would have sneered, if there had been time. Her lips parted, and her hand almost reached them.

Almost.

Fingers wrapped around her wrists with all the force of iron bands, dragging her hands up and away from her mouth. She was pushed back into the desk, her body bent backwards, stunning her with the force of the impact. Itachi stood above her, one hand holding her limbs hostage as the other held up a delicate, blue capsule. His eyes did not leave hers.

"Did you think it would be that easy?" Deceptively soft, he made sure that all traces of emotion were hidden from her.

Her sea green eyes blazed with emotions, chest heaving in shock, and anger. She spit her words out at him like knives.

"I had hoped you would have the common decency to let me die," she hissed. He merely looked down at her, Raven head cocking to the side slightly. Itachi's obsidian eyes slid back to the blue capsule, before he crushed it between his fingers, letting the soft powder drift onto the ground slowly. He leaned in a bit closer to her, their noses scant inches apart. She could feel his chest, a hair's breadth away from hers.

His eyes were cold, almost flinty as he looked into her fiery sea green orbs. "Do not be so foolish, Kunoichi," he said softly.

She struggled underneath him, attempting to shove his limbs off of her. Unfortunately, his long fingers were hard as steel bands around her wrists; the rest of the his body seemed just as unbudging. She tossed her head, eyes rolling to the side defiantly as her limbs were held down. Even though she didn't make contact with his obsidian eyes, she still glared off into the distance. To make a point.

Itachi looked down at the panting kunoichi. He could see the anger in her eyes, anger that remained in her taut form even after she'd stopped struggling. Generally, he had thought it rather funny how easy it was to rile up the woman. However, this time he wasn't amused. He did not think that she would attempt such a stunt. To think, that she would rather die, would rather take her own life then continue to heal him... It left a hollow feeling in his chest, a little pit of sadness, anger and guilt.

Scoffing lightly, a breath leaving him in a slight huff, he whirled away from the woman. Straightening his back to conceal the affects her words had on him, he held up his wrist to brandish the black leather cuff hung around it.

"If you attempt such a thing again, I will be alerted through the tracking bracelet. You will not succeed." It was only from years of practice that he was able to keep his voice even, emotionless. Needing to release his pent up emotions, Itachi stalked out of the tent, leaving the enemy kunoichi panting on top of his desk.

Sakura stared up at the ceiling as the tent door swished softly, falling back into place, quickly eliminating the Ray of sunshine that had cut into the darkness. Her breath left her in a rush, and she deflated as it did, her anger evaporating to leave only sadness. Her hand rose to clench over her chest, fingers tangled in the material of her shirt. Even that small gesture did nothing to alleviate her, as she could only feel the leather cuff digging into her skin. She felt her eyes begin to sting with tears, the hot liquid pooling up suddenly.

'No,' she thought fiercely. No crying. She'd vowed years ago to stop crying when she could be doing something, could be improving her situation. Crying was a thing of the past for Sakura.

She hadn't had the best childhood. Granted, it wasn't the worse either. Her civilian mother was loving, and her father doting, he'd retired from active duty once she was born, on a chill spring day. They had loved her, coddled her even. Perhaps that's what had made her such an easy target at the academy. Once she'd turned ten her father had insisted she enter the ninja academy, against her mother's gentle disapproval. However, the woman didn't make many objections, hoping that her sweet daughter would ask to leave on her own. Sakura had actually enjoyed the lessons, the history and jutsu fascinated her.

But then the bullying had started.

It had been simple things at first, pulling on her cotton candy locks, whispers and laughs when she walked past the group of girls. But soon there were noted discreetly tucked into her books, feet ready to trip her when she walked around the school house. Sakura cried constantly, becoming fearful, anxious and lonely. She didn't know how to stand up to her bullies. Shelter and protected by her parents, she didn't understand their vindictiveness, their hatred of her. She didn't know why they targeted her, only that she was lacking in some respect.

One day, when the wicked children been particularly cruel to her, Sakura had burst into tears, curling into a small ball to avoid the kicks and pinches bestowed upon her when a loud shout had shocked her.

"What are you brats doing?! Get away from her, go!" The girls all shrieked, running away quickly from this new adversary. Feeling as though she only had a new tormentor to face, the young Sakura reluctantly uncovered her tears eyes. A small, blonde girl was standing before her, hand held out to help the poor pinkette stand. This girl oozed confidence. She looked strong, and was fairly pretty, for a ten year old. Dressed in purple clothing, with swatches of mesh fabric, Sakura guessed recognized her as a fellow academy student. She merely regarded the offered hand, not sure what to say as she hiccuped quietly. The blonde girl smiled at her softly, not moving the proffered limb.

"Hey, I won't be horrible like those girls are. They're just dumb, and jealous of your hair. It's like flowers! I'm Yamanaka Ino, we're both in Iruka-sensei's class, but I can't remember your name," Sakura looked up at her curiously, very gently taking hold of the hand. Ino's fingers were warm as she helped Sakura up, her smile only growing as the pinkette didn't shy away.

"I'm Haruno Sakura. I've seen you in class before," she she shyly.

"That's a pretty name! Not as pretty as mine, but it'll do. Want to come pick flowers with me?" Ino swung their hands lightly, gesturing invitingly to the nearby forest. Sakura looked down at the chubby fingers she was clutching, and smiled softly.

"What kind of flowers are they?" Both of the girls started to walk into the forest, where they spent the afternoon bonding over simple pleasures, and had become fast friends. Sakura's bullies did not return to torment her, and she gradually came out of her shell, flourishing under the love of her new companion.

However, it did not last long. As their days in the academy dragged on, it became clear that who was at the top of the class, and who was at the bottom. The most promising student was named A young boy Kyo, and Sakura adored him. He was fairly aloof, never paying attention in class, but none the less savage in mock spars for that. She admirer his strength, his drive to be the best. But so did Ino. They became divided by their want for his affections, both competing against the other to prove themselves the best girl, the strongest girl.

In the end, Sakura graduated the academy with near perfect grades, but subpar jutsu. She didn't spend much time training, not liking to spend time all sweaty and dirty, when she could be mooning after the dreamy picture Kyo made, with his long red hair and green eyes. Fortunately, she was selected to be on a team with him, her hero! However, the class idiot, and village dropout was also on their team. Uzumaki Naruto. She didn't really mind him, but he fought with Kyo a lot, stealing most of the attention from her. Their Sensei had been Kakashi, the Legendary copy nin, not that she'd appreciated it at the time. She'd mostly cared about her looks, and brains, not her actual skills.

Sakura had a rude awakening when they began to take missions. She was useless, utterly useless. The young girl became used to the men of her team shoving her aside, always assigning someone to protect her. It was humiliating. She'd wanted to quit being a ninja all together, and almost had, if not for one pivotal moment.

After a particularly harsh battle, she had been nervously pacing in the hospital waiting room, waiting to hear news from Kyo, who had suffered a major blow, one aimed for her. He'd knocked her out of the way of the enemy katana, taking the strike to the gut. They had furiously run back to the village, Sakura crying, and praying that the boy, now 12, would live. After what seemed like hours and hours, a kind nurse walked out of the closed off hallway that Kyo had been taken down earlier.

"Well, he's out of the woods now, and should recover nicely." The matronly woman said to the anxious girl. Sakura heaved a huge sigh, her hand going to her heart as relief filled her entire body.

"Can I go and see him?" She asked tentatively. The older woman pursued her lips, eyes flicking to the clock and back to the desperate pinkette.

"Visiting hours are over," Sakura felt her heart sink at the words, and her eyes fell, downcast. "So you'll have to be extra sneaky," the kind woman said with a smile.

Sakuras head whipped up, a smile gracing her pink lips before she dashed down the hallway, quickly locating her love's Chakra signature and running towards his room. She took a deep breath when the door appeared, her fingers reaching out to grab the silver handle when she heard a voice coming from inside the room. Pricking her ears up, she stilled, listening very carefully.

"It was admirable of you to protect Sakura like they, Kyo." Kakashi's quiet voice came to her as she strained her ears. A dark, humorless chuckle was the teenagers response.

"If any members of the team dies, we won't be looked at for promotions. I deserve to be a chunin." Sakura felt tears prick her eyes at the callous words, her hands growing Cold and clammy. "I wouldn't have to worry about such things if she wasn't useless."

Kakashi sighed, and she hoped, prayed that he would rise to her defense. "I have been considering training you separately, Kyo. Jiraiya-sama has taken an interest in Naruto, and Sakura...she does not belong in this program." A tortured gasp escaped the young as Kyo murmured his agreement.

None of them cared. She'd deluded herself, thinking they were a tightly bound team, but she was the weak link. Helpless little Sakura, she couldn't do anything for herself. Feeling the hot tears spill over and Onto her cheeks, Sakura turned and ran, fleeing down an obscure hallway. She leaned back against the wall, eyes shut tight and hands clenched into fists as she shook with sobs.

Useless. Burden. Powerless.

The words kept repeating itself over and over in her mind, and she feel herself drowning in a pit of despair. The true sadness of it all was that she had only herself to blame. Of course she could have trained more, could have spent more time, more effort in her skills. But she hadn't, and there was a price to pay. Consequences were always harsh for Shinobi.

Not that she could even call herself one, she scoffed. She was nothing more than a little pink haired girl, playing at being a warrior.

A scream rang out in the camp, startling Sakura out of her memories. She jumped off of the desk, landing in a defensive crouch with her fists help up protectively. Eyes shifted around widely, and she straining to hear anything more. Nothing. Sighing, she straightened up when no more noises were heard after a few moments. It was unusually quiet in the Uchiha's pavilion, which she has assumed resides close to his camp. There weren't the usual noises, of chatter, running, shouted directions and orders. It was too quiet, eerie. She shivered lightly, a sudden pang of longing for the Konoha base camp surging through her. Naruto, Tsunade, Kakashi. She missed them all.

She felt awful, traitorous. She should be furious that her suicide attempt had been thwarted, should be appalled that she had to continue healing the arrogant Nin. But she wasn't. Not completely, at least. There was a great sense of relief, like she'd gotten a second chance. As much as Sakura ached to protect her home, she was not ready to die. She was young, barely 17 and hadn't accomplished any of the things she wanted to do with her life.

Not that she would get to do any of those things here, stuck in an enemy camp by one of the world's most ruthless, calculating killers.

She sank onto the ground, legs crossed lightly. Sakura knew there was furniture in the tent, nice pieces even, but she eschewed them. Just because she had to be here didn't mean that she couldn't fight tooth and nail every step of the way. Even if sitting on the ground instead of the proffered couch wouldn't accomplish anything in the long run, it gave her a small thrill of defiance. Closing her eyes, she tiredly slumped against the tents central pole. She'd been running on adrenaline earlier, putting up a strong front. Healing the Uchiha was hard work, requiring massive amounts of focus and infinitesimally fine chakra control. She was pleased with her progress, from a medical standpoint that is. It would still take her a couple of weeks to find a way to stop the damage from occurring in the first place. Sighing, she began to doze off as thoughts of eyes and medical procedures ran through her brain.

~~GLOC~~

Itachi sighed imperceptibly, his eyes cold as they surveyed the scene before him. He had intended on going on a walk through the woods, in an attempt to clear the bitter taste from his mouth. He hadn't gotten far until a soldier teleported in front of him, a burst of smoke announcing the nins presence. The man kept his face composed, as all of those in Itachi's battalion were trained to do, and bowed to his commander, awaiting acknowledgment.

"State your business," the ravenette said calmly. The man rose, but he avoided eye contact, being only too familiar with the Uchiha's ocular powers.

"An enemy nin was found attempting to infiltrate the camp, and has been apprehended sir." Eyes widening the slightest bit, Itachi turned back in the direction of the base camp, away from the calming woods. His walk would have to wait.

"Lead the way," he said to his subordinate, allowing the man to walk half a step in front of him. "How was this Shinobi captured?"

"The third and fourth squads found him crossing the border, and failing to hide his chakra signature completely. They are holding the man in the command tent for our battalion." The nin spoke quickly as he led the way to the purple tent, which stood a fair distance away from Itachi's pavilion. He did not like to reside close to the clamor of the soldiers, and moved his residence closer to the calming forest. Once the purple tent was in sight, Itachi strode forward confidently, overtaking the messenger with ease. A crowd of men had gathered around the tent, all on guard and curiously talking. Everyone moved out of the way for the silent commander, and most bowed their heads to him respectfully. Itachi included his over Raven head to a select few of the nin, the ones that he got along well with. Striding forward, he entered the tent without preamble.

"Oh, Itachi-san. How nice of you to join us," a deep voice ground out sadistically. Kisame was standing near the back of the tent, a red stained kunai gripped between his fingers, matching the bloodthirsty gleam in his eyes. A terrified man was bound behind him, arms tired to one of central pillars, up above his head. The man's chest was littered with shallow lacerations, dripping red to mix with the dirt beneath him. The nin was breathing harshly, and the whites of his eyes showed, around a brown iris. He had light brown hair, and was of a medium stature. Not a remarkable person at all. However, Itachi felt a flicker of pity for the man, as he'd been caught by the shark. There generally was no stopping Kisame once he found a play thing.

"How much information have you gotten out of him?" He kept the disgust he felt for the situation out of his voice, and off of his features. A perfectly emotionless mask.

Kisame swiped a finger along the edge of the kunai, and it came away red. "He was sent to search for your medic, Itachi-San." The shark like man licked the blood off the side of his blue finger, smirking at the terrified Shinobi as he did.

"S-Sakura-sama..." He whispered fearfully.

Itachi's eyes dropped to the nondescript man. He could only be a chunin, at best. It seemed the Leaf were wary to expend any competent soldiers on the medics behalf. A wise choice, if sad for her.

Itachi looked back over to Kisame, who was practically purring with excitement. "I shall leave this interrogation to you. Inform me of any new information." As he turned away from the gruesome scene, Itachi closed his eyes, hoping in vain that he would be able to avoid hearing the man's screams of pain.

/ thank you for reading! I hope the time change with Sakura came out right, I want to start exploring how past, and how it's changed her. Plus, Itachi faces difficulties as he confronts his more dangerous side!

Thank you for reading, and please review!


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